Game On in Washington State: Marriage on the November Ballot

Civil marriage for loving gay and lesbian couples will be on the ballot in November. Washington’s new civil marriage equality law was scheduled to go into effect today but as expected, the campaign to take away the freedom to marry in Washington has turned in enough signatures to suspend enactment of the law and put our weddings in limbo pending the outcome of the November election.

Opponents of the bipartisan law turned in over 200,000 signatures. We know they boosted their number by bringing in paid signatures. And we know that they have millions of dollars committed from radical right-wing organizations like the National Organization for Marriage which has bankrolled other marriage battles.

To win in November, supporters of marriage for all loving couples can’t fall behind. We must match or beat our opponents at every turn.

To win in November, we must muster all of our supporters — the vast majority of fair-minded people who believe that all families deserve the same support and protections families and couples count on.

We will need every organization, every person, and every dollar because we know our opponents have just built an army of over 200,000 people to take way marriage for loving same-sex couples in November.

Washington is poised to become the first state in the nation to uphold the freedom to marry at the polls. We’ve done it before! In 2009, Washington became the first state in the nation to support a same-sex relationship recognition law at the polls. Voters approved Referendum 71 by a 53% to 47% margin and ratified the state’s comprehensive domestic partnership law despite the opposition’s assurances that this was, for all intents and purposes, a referendum on marriage.

With civil marriage really on the ballot this year, however, the stakes are higher. The opposition is energized, organized and well-funded. We all need to pitch in to overcome this differential and keep Washington a freedom to marry state.

Game On in Washington State: Marriage on the November Ballot

Civil marriage for loving gay and lesbian couples will be on the ballot in November. Washington’s new civil marriage equality law was scheduled to go into effect today but as expected, the campaign to take away the freedom to marry in Washington has turned in enough signatures to halt enactment of the law and put our weddings in limbo until the election results are known.

Opponents of the bipartisan law turned in over 200,000 signatures. We know they boosted their number by bringing in paid signatures. And we know that they have millions of dollars committed from radical right-wing organizations like the National Organization for Marriage which has bankrolled other marriage battles.

To win in November, supporters of marriage for all loving couples can’t fall behind. We must match or beat our opponents at every turn.

To win in November, we must muster all of our supporters — the vast majority of fair-minded people who believe that all families deserve the same support and protections families and couples count on.

We will need every organization, every person, and every dollar because we know our opponents have just built an army of over 200,000 people to take way marriage for loving same-sex couples in November.

Washington is poised to become the first state in the nation to uphold the freedom to marry at the polls. We’ve done it before! In 2009, Washington became the first state in the nation to support a same-sex relationship recognition law at the polls. Voters approved Referendum 71 by a 53% to 47% margin and ratified the state’s comprehensive domestic partnership law despite the opposition’s assurances that this was for all intents and purposes a referendum on marriage.

With civil marriage really on the ballot this year, however, the stakes are higher. The opposition is energized, organized and well-funded. We all need to pitch in to overcome this differential and keep Washington a freedom to marry state.